Native to parts of Europe and Asia, a beautiful shrub bears dark purple berries.

Their deeply pigmented berries boast chart-topping levels of health-promoting phytonutrients such as anthocyanins, flavonols and phenolic acids.

These compounds protect the plant from pests and parasites, and also give their protective properties as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activity to those who consume them.

But for our purpose, the most important thing is these berries can heal both high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

In addition to the antioxidant properties, blackcurrant seeds are famous for their high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, notably the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid, or GLA. Blackcurrant has been used in traditional herbal medicine to treat a wide range of health conditions, including high blood pressure and diabetes.

Recently, scientific studies have found confirming evidence for these health claims.

Blood Pressure-Lowering

A number of researchers have been particularly interested in the potential of blackcurrants and other high-phytonutrient berries as a therapeutic option for high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases.

A study that included women between the ages of 18 and 75 years found that participants who consumed higher levels of anthocyanins and flavones – equivalent to 1-2 portions of berries per day – had more supple arteries and significantly lower blood pressure.

Certain compounds contained in blackcurrants have been found to lower blood pressure by exerting their effects on the blood pressure regulating system in the kidneys known as the renin-angiotensin system.

These compounds inhibit an enzyme that fuels signaling pathways that lead to increased blood pressure.

In a clinical trial, researchers enriched a commercially available juice of mixed berries with blackcurrant extract and found that the enriched juice produced significant blood pressure-lowering effects, with an even more pronounced benefit occurring in participants with hypertension, compared to their normal blood pressure cohorts. Furthermore, the blackcurrant-enriched juice reduced blood pressure variability, making it more stable.

Blackcurrant seed oil received high marks for blood pressure-lowering benefits in a study that measured blood pressure spikes in response to psychological stress in volunteers with reactive hypertension. This is a form of high blood pressure in which patients are susceptible to rapid and dangerous increases in blood pressure when they experience anxiety or stress.

Researchers reported that blackcurrant seed oil inhibited blood pressure reactivity by more than 40%. The berry extract also produced a significant overall drop in diastolic blood pressure – the lower number of the blood pressure ratio that signifies pressure in the arteries in between beats, when the heart is relaxed.

Diabetes Management

A number of laboratory studies have revealed potential benefits of blackcurrants for prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

In a study on mice, blackcurrant extract reduced obesity-associated inflammation. Over time, such low-grade, chronic inflammation can trigger metabolic disturbances that lead to impaired blood sugar control.

When treated with blackcurrant extract, the mice displayed lower levels of key inflammatory markers, lower blood glucose levels and lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels – all of which are important predictors of diabetes risk. Researchers concluded that blackcurrant consumption might help counteract the detrimental effects of high-fat and high-cholesterol diets.

A compound in blackcurrant called cyanidin-3-rutinoside (C3R) shows potential anti-diabetes effects by inhibiting carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, thereby limiting the digestion of carbohydrates.

Researchers of one study concluded that C3R may be useful for preventing the high post-meal blood sugar spikes that characterize type 2 diabetes. The same benefits of C3R might also occur in people with some forms of insulin-resistance and pre-diabetes, possibly helping those individuals avoid developing the disease.

But eating berries may not be enough o completely reverse your type 2 diabetes. For that you need a solid 3-step strategy found here…

And to lower your blood pressure naturally, discover how these three easy exercises drop your blood pressure below 120/80 – starting today…